Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, carpenters held an essential role in society, responsible for constructing buildings, crafting tools, and creating various wooden items necessary for daily life. The term "carpenter" in the Bible is often associated with skilled artisans who worked with wood, a valuable and versatile material in ancient Israel and surrounding regions.
Old Testament ReferencesThe Old Testament provides several references to carpenters, highlighting their importance in construction and craftsmanship. In
2 Samuel 5:11, we read about King Hiram of Tyre sending carpenters to David: "Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David." This passage underscores the collaboration between Israel and neighboring nations, with carpenters playing a crucial role in building the king's palace.
Isaiah 44:13 illustrates the skill and artistry of carpenters: "The carpenter stretches out a line; he marks it out with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and marks it with a compass. He fashions it into the form of a man, like a man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine." This verse not only describes the technical skills of carpenters but also alludes to their involvement in idol-making, a practice condemned by the prophets.
New Testament ReferencesIn the New Testament, the most notable reference to a carpenter is found in relation to Jesus Christ.
Mark 6:3 states, "Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Are His sisters not here with us as well?" This passage identifies Jesus as a carpenter, indicating that He likely learned the trade from Joseph, His earthly father. The profession of carpentry, therefore, is intimately connected with the life of Jesus, emphasizing His humble beginnings and His connection to the working class.
Matthew 13:55 also refers to Jesus in this context: "Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother’s name Mary, and are not His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?" This reinforces the perception of Jesus as part of a family engaged in carpentry, a respected and necessary trade.
Symbolic and Theological SignificanceThe role of carpenters in the Bible carries symbolic and theological significance. The craftsmanship and creativity required in carpentry can be seen as a reflection of God's creative work in the world. The construction of the Tabernacle and the Temple involved skilled artisans, including carpenters, who contributed to the sacred spaces where God dwelled among His people.
Moreover, Jesus' identification as a carpenter serves as a powerful reminder of His incarnation and His willingness to engage in the ordinary, everyday life of humanity. It highlights the dignity of labor and the value of work, regardless of social status. Jesus' life as a carpenter also prefigures His role as the builder of the Church, the spiritual house made up of living stones (
1 Peter 2:5).
ConclusionCarpenters in the Bible are depicted as skilled and essential workers, contributing to both the physical and spiritual construction of society. Their work is a testament to the value of craftsmanship and the dignity of labor, themes that resonate throughout Scripture.
Strong's Hebrew
2796. charash -- engraver, artificer... Word Origin from charash Definition engraver, artificer NASB Word Usage artisan
(1), blacksmith (1),
carpenters (4),
carpenters* (4), craftsman (7), craftsmen
...6086. ets -- tree, trees, wood
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition tree, trees, wood NASB Word Usagecarpenters*
(4), framework (1), gallows (9), handle (1), logs (1), shaft (3...
Library
The Boyhood of Jesus
... you about. But the tailors, the shoemakers, thecarpenters, and the
coffee-grinders do not always sit in their shops. They like...
Glad Givers and Faithful Workers
... And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the
house of the Lord, and hired masons andcarpenters to repair the house of the...
Altar and Temple
... But the foundation of the Temple of the Lord was not yet laid.7. They gave money
also unto the masons, and to thecarpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil...
A Willing People and an Immutable Leader
... And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel,
and Jerusalem. And the Lord showed me fourcarpenters....
That David Made Great Preparations for the House of God; and That...
... Moreover, thou hast many ten thousand stone-cutters andcarpenters; and if thou
shalt want any thing further, do thou add somewhat of thine own....
Sermon at the Faribault Celebration of the Centennial of the...
... On the 5th of September, 1774, fifty-five delegates, from eleven colonies, met in
Smith's tavern, Philadelphia, and at the invitation of thecarpenters of that...
The Puritan Beginnings of the Church in virginia ---Its Decline...
... set about the work of building their houses, but found that their total number of
one hundred and five was made up in the proportion of fourcarpenters to forty...
Absurdity of Arguing from Man's Impotency.
... anew such of their works as are broken in pieces, or worn out by time, or otherwise
destroyed, and then from the analogy of potters andcarpenters attempt to...
Because Some are Wise, Nothing Prevents Others from Being So...
... And this it seems to me that Jesus took into consideration; and in order that
husbandmen,carpenters, builders, and other artisans, might not be driven away...
Here Peradventure Some Man May Say, "If it was Bodily Work that...
... to filthy lucre: but innocently and honestly wrought things which are fitted for
the uses of men; such as are the works ofcarpenters, builders, shoemakers...
Thesaurus
Carpenters (11 Occurrences)...Carpenters (11 Occurrences).
... 2 Kings 22:6 to the
carpenters, and to the builders,
and to the masons, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the house.
...Masons (8 Occurrences)
... Masons (8 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 5:11 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David,
and cedar trees, andcarpenters, and masons; and they built David a house....
Carpenter (4 Occurrences)
... An artificer in stone, iron, and copper, as well as in wood (2 Samuel 5:11; 1
Chronicles 14:1; Mark 6:3). The tools used bycarpenters are mentioned in 1...
Logs (12 Occurrences)
... Logs (12 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 5:11 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David,
and cedar trees, andcarpenters, and masons; and they built David a house....
Timber (32 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 5:11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars,
andcarpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. (DBY)....
Builders (24 Occurrences)
... that was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight
of the house of Yahweh: and they paid it out to thecarpenters and the...
Cedar-trees (11 Occurrences)
... (ASV BBE WBS). 2 Samuel 5:11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and
cedar-trees, andcarpenters, and masons; and they built David a house....
Cedars (37 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 5:11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars,
andcarpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. (DBY)....
Repair (26 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 22:6 to thecarpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons,
and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the house....
Purchase (25 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 22:6 to thecarpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for
buying timber and cut stone to repair the house. (See NIV)....
Resources
Who was Huram / Hiram in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a plumb line in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgTo what extent should we strive to be like Jesus? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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